Road of Memories, Path to the Present
by Princess Emphasis
Summary: After leaving to go on a solo mission, Natsu and co find Lucy's lifeless body, Gray being the only one to take notice of the mysterious book nearby./ Remake of "Road to Memories: Start at the Beginning". Based(loosely) on the idea of "What if Natsu and Lucy didn't meet when they did?" (Cover image reused, will make new one when I have time)
1. Prologue

❇Prologue❇

"Natsu, I'll be heading off now!"

Her voice rang fresh in his mind.

The only other noise he heard was his and the five friends with him's sobs.

_If only I had went with her!_ he thought, wiping at his eyes a he thought about the events that lead to this.

_ Lucy had needed rent money and he and Happy were busy preparing to go on a special 'training trip' and couldn't go, Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Carla were already out on a job and Lucy hadn't thought of asking anyone else so she decided to try going on a solo mission for once. The job seemed relatively easy enough, he had thought at the time when he looked at the paper while she was talking to Mirajane. It seemed like she'd be back in just two days time, but the days passed and she hadn't been back yet. Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Carla had all come back already and they had started to worry as well. Once it reached a week, he knew they needed to go find her._

_ When they found her though, she was already gone. Poisoned, according to Erza._

Amidst his sobs, Natsu noticed a slight glow in Lucy's balled fist. He reached to see what it was, noticing how tightly she must have been holding onto it before she passed.

Silence rang through the air as Natsu held up Leo's and Virgo's keys, a warm glow emanating from them and pulsing between his fingers.

Gray watched as his friend held Lucy's keys. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed a book by a small puddle. Feeling as if it were calling for him, he went and picked it up. It had no title and when he opened it up and looked for a name, he saw the name was illegible due to smudging and being worn away. He flipped through the book, only to find all but one page illegible. The single page that was legible was emanating magic, albeit it was quickly fading. On the page was a spell, written in a language he'd never seen before.

Without thinking, he read the spell aloud. When Natsu heard him he ran over, irritated that he was doing something seemingly stupid in front of their friend's cold, lifeless body. As he got closer, he noticed the two keys in his hand shining brighter, responding to the spell.

It seemed like forever but he wasn't getting any closer to the ice mage at all, he glanced behind him and saw that their other friends seemed out of focus, he noticed that they were calling for him and Gray, but their voices were being drowned out by a static noise. Natsu felt himself growing sicker by the second and before he knew it, he blacked out.

He woke up moments later, his head felt like it had been split in half, he barely remembered what him and Happy were doing.

They were on a train.


	2. Chapter 1 A Missing Smile

❇A Missing Smile❇

Happy waited for Natsu as he threw up in a trash can after getting stuck on the train for two trips. When Natsu got done, he and Happy entered the town of Hargeon. The reason they were there is because they heard word that someone Natsu has been looking for was there.

As they walked through the town, Happy opened his mouth, however he got cut off by the loud squealing of multiple women in front of them.

"Oh Salamander~?!"

"Can I have an autograph~?!"

"Ohhh do you have to leave so soon~?"

Natsu's eyes widened and he brightened up, pushing and shoving through the crowd of women to see the Salamander. He frowned and sighed at the sight of a normal man. He sulked away before freezing in the middle of the crowd.

He saw a flash of gold with a bright, sparkling smile.

Looking around, almost frantically, he saw no one that matched the image that appeared in his head. Happy gave him a weird look as Natsu was pushed out of the crowd without uttering a single word.

"What's wrong, Natsu?" A short silence came before he got an answer.

"Huh? Oh, uh...It's nothing, Happy" A wide grin showed on his face, but behind it the image of that smile remained.

* * *

One train trip later, Natsu and Happy were back in the town of Magnolia, to go back to Fairy Tail. When they got there, Natsu started a large brawl all because a member had him go to Hargeon for false information.

After the brawl was stopped by the master, Natsu and Happy went to the job request board, deciding that going on a job could lift their spirits. Happy was the first to notice a small paper, upon taking a look at it, he gave a puzzled look.

"What'd ya find, Happy?"

Happy pointed to the paper, "Natsu~, this job doesn't have a reward, it's weird!" Upon taking a look at the paper, Natsu saw that the blue cat was indeed right.

_I need someone to help me run away from my home. I'm sorry but I can't give out a reward as my father could find out. But I swear I'll find a way to pay the mage who helps me as soon as I can. _

Natsu shrugged, and thinking that this may be an interesting job, he took it. He and Happy headed to the address on the paper. Staring up at the large mansion, their eyes widened. It was huge!

"Alright Natsu, we need to be sneaky to help the client get out without their father knowing…. Natsu?" Happy looked to where his friend had previously been standing, then looked in front of him.

Natsu was kicking down the front door.

"Natsu!" Happy yelled, running out to him, but it was too late, Natsu was already inside and fighting some of the guards stationed by the door. Some nearby maids ran upstairs in a panic, going to warn their master and miss.

* * *

A young girl sat by her window, looking out longingly. Her bright, silky, blonde hair pulled up, and her frilled, hot pink dress fitting on her loosely as she hadn't bothered to put it on correctly. As she thought that the day was going to be uneventful, a frantic knock was on the door.

As she opened it, a maid ushered her out, "Miss Lucy, we have to hurry, a man just broke in and started a ruckus, he has a guild insignia on him, he must be dangerous!" As she finished her explanation, she was pushed out of the way, "Miss Lucy?!" She called out as she watched the blonde run off down the hall.

"I'm sorry!" Lucy called back, sending a small apologetic glance to the maid before running to the entrance hall.

* * *

As Natsu was fighting the last of the guards, he noticed someone in the corner of his eye. He turned his head to look, his eyes widening as he recognized the girl standing at the stop of the staircase, a nervous, but excited grin on her face.

"Natsu!" Happy cried as his friend got grabbed by his forgotten opponent.

Lucy's eyes widened, "No! Let him go now!" She called out to the guard as she hurried down the stairs. As she got to the bottom, her arm was grabbed harshly, she turned and looked, her expression more panicked as she saw who it was.

_Her father._


	3. Chapter 2 Familiarity

❇Familiarity❇

* * *

Natsu was glaring at the man sitting at a desk in front of him, his arms held behind his back by a guard, Happy beside him at his feet, paws tied behind his back. The man at the desk was glaring back, a servant behind him keeping the blonde girl- Natsu's client- held still while she watches on worriedly.

"You dare think you can just kidnap my daughter?" The girl scowled at the words, "She has a potential husband coming next week and you will _not _be kidnapping her. This guard will bring you to the nearest jail until a proper punishment can be-" he stopped at the sound of a thump from behind him.

Natsu grinned, watching as his client shove the servant back into a window, successfully making him stagger enough for her to wrench herself free from his grip. The girl ran in front of Natsu and faced her father.

"I hired him myself, father!" She hissed, "I refuse to stay here any longer!"

Digging through the collar and sleeves of her dress, she pulled out a golden key, putting into a glass of water on her father's desk. As he realized what she was doing, it was too late.

"Open! Gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!"

With a large spout of water, a tall, rather irritated looking mermaid with long, blue locks appeared. She looked at the girl below her, glaring darkly. "Do you really think you can get off summoning me from a glass of water, hah?!" She spat, taking hold of her vase and with a large swing and ignoring the frantic cries of "No!" from the girl who summoned her, the whole room had been flooded. The door flew open from the force of the water, the guard, Natsu, Happy, and Lucy being brought with it.

Taking advantage of the situation, Natsu quickly untied Happy, grabbing the cat and girl, and pulling them to the end of the hall. With a shout of protest, he lifted the blonde girl over his shoulder and jumped through the window, the blue cat soon flying after them, grabbing Natsu by the vest before the two landed. With great trouble, Happy manage to get them close to the ground before his wings disappeared.

Natsu grabbed Happy and ran as far away from the mansion before stopping and setting the girl down, he looked at her and grinned, "Good job!" The girl smiled as Natsu continued, "I'm Natsu, and that's Happy" he nodded at the cat in his arm, "We're from Fairy Tail!" The girl smiled brighter than before, causing Natsu's grin to falter as his eyes widened slightly, recognizing the smile.

"I'm Lucy! It's nice to meet you Natsu!" she smiled, holding out her hand to shake his, pulling it away after a moment of Natsu just standing still and staring at her, "Um, is something wrong…?" she asked slowly, glancing at Happy who just shrugged in response. As if snapping out of a trance, Natsu quickly shook his head, a grin plastered on his face once again.

"Nah" he said, "Where did you want us to take you?" He asked, letting Happy hop out of his arm. Happy looked up at Lucy and tilted his head before turning to Natsu.

"Natsu~ Lucy's making a weird face" he spoke, looking back to her. Lucy had her eyes looking off to the right, a wide grin on her face as she thought over the question.

"Well~" she hummed, looking him straight in the eyes again, "I'd love to join Fairy Tail! I've read about them in the Sorcerer's Weekly magazines my maid used to get me! It seems like such a fun guild, and I know I must be right after seeing how you just burst into my father's home like that!" She laughed a little, not noticing as a small, warm smile spread across Natsu's face.

Natsu couldn't help but smile, the blonde in front of him just had something about her that was so familiar that he couldn't stop himself before it appeared. Happy gave him a weird look, slowly floating up by his side, but Natsu just shrugged him off, "To Fairy Tail then?" He grinned. Lucy nodded excitedly.

* * *

Lucy stopped for a second, panting a little as she wasn't used to travel and was still in the hot pink dress that definitely was not made for travel by foot; But they hadn't had come across a village yet where she could get some better clothes. Lucy started to walk again, only to run into Natsu's back.

"We're taking a detour." Natsu spoke suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he stood in the middle of the road, Happy gave his partner a curious glance.

"What is it, Natsu?"

"We're going to Mount Hakobe." Natsu said, turning and walking in the direction of the mountain, "Lucy, you can go ahead and go to the guild if you want."

Lucy frowned at him, "No, I'll come with you...I don't even know _how _to get to the guild!" she replied, following after him, "But why are we going to Mount Hakobe?"

"Aye. Did you lose something there?"

Natsu stayed quiet for a second.

"We just passed a couple guys who were talking about how a kid whose father hasn't come back from there yet." He said, balling his fists tightly. Lucy gave Happy a glance, not understanding why Natsu seemed so upset. Happy flew closer to her.

"Natsu's father disappeared when he was little." The cat responded quietly, glancing at Natsu. Lucy nodded for a second, looking at Natsu, feeling a little sorry for him.

And off to Mount Hakobe they went.


End file.
